What Global Drone Solutions does

Global Drone Solutions (GDS) is a privately held Australian drone pilot training provider, founded circa 2015 and headquartered in Bentley, Perth, Western Australia. The company holds Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval to deliver accredited training across its portfolio of 16 drone courses, spanning beginner-level recreational instruction through to advanced commercial operations including Remote Pilot Licence (RePL), Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate (AROC), Remote Operators Certificate (ReOC), Multi Rotor 25kg Endorsement (MR25e), Chief Remote Pilot (CRP), Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), Powered Lift Endorsement (VTOL), and Remote Piloted Aircraft Photogrammetry. Training is delivered through blended online theory (Zoom-based virtual classroom) and in-person practical assessment, with coverage across all eight Australian states and territories.

GDS's product surface combines (i) four bundled certification packages (Standard, Advanced, Professional, Enterprise) priced between $1,695 and $5,300, (ii) standalone individual courses ranging from $149 for an annual refresher to $3,000 for photogrammetry, and (iii) authorised DJI dealer operations covering consumer (Mini, Air, Mavic, Avata), enterprise (Mavic 3 Enterprise, Matrice series), and agricultural (AGRAS T40, T50, T100) drone hardware, with a 5% graduate discount on equipment purchases. ReOC application support is delivered as either a standalone professional service or as part of the Professional and Enterprise packages. The company has a stated team of approximately 23 staff.

Revenue is generated on a one-time course-fee model augmented by hardware resale margins and ancillary ReOC consultancy. Go-to-market combines self-service online booking, enterprise field sales for corporate training programs, an annual Drone Industry Summit as a flagship demand-gen event, community-led growth via a Pilot Affiliate Program, and SEO-driven organic acquisition. The customer base spans individual career-changers and professional drone operators as well as enterprise and government clients including BHP, Rio Tinto, Water Corporation, Western Power, Channel 7, Western Australia Police, and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. The company positions itself as Australia's most awarded drone training provider, citing 30+ industry accolades, 7,500+ graduates, and a 4.9/5 average across 349 verified Google reviews.

Name

Global Drone Solutions

Legal name

Global Drone Solutions

Website

https://gdronesolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Drone Solutions is a CASA-certified Australian drone pilot training provider offering 16 accredited courses and bundled certification packages to individuals, corporates, and government agencies nationwide, complemented by DJI hardware resale and ReOC consultancy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drone Pilot Training and Certification Services

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

akta.pro primary industry

Emerging Aviation Maintenance (UAS/Drone, eVTOL & Advanced Air Mobility) (EDAOAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Drone Parts, Batteries & Accessories Retail (CRACAHAL)

Keywords

• Drone pilot training
• Aviation certification courses
• CASA-approved training
• Commercial drone licensing
• RPAS certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Bentley

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Drone Training Courses: CASA-certified training programs for drone pilot licenses and certifications. Revenue generated through course fees for individual courses and bundled packages. Training delivered online, in-person, or via hybrid formats across Australia.
2. Drone Equipment Sales: Sale of professional drone equipment including DJI consumer, enterprise, and agricultural platforms. Student discount program offering 5% off for graduates.
3. ReOC Application Support: Business certification support services for organizations seeking Remote Operator Certificates. Included in professional and enterprise packages or charged at standalone rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Global Drone Solutions is an Australian CASA-certified drone pilot training provider delivering 16 courses across beginner, standard, and advanced categories (including RePL, AROC, ReOC, MR25e, CRP, BVLOS, Powered Lift Endorsements, and Photogrammetry), offered as standalone courses or bundled into Standard, Advanced, Professional, and Enterprise packages with a ReOC application support option. The company also retails DJI consumer, enterprise, and agricultural drone platforms, often bundled with training and a 5% graduate discount.

Product overview

Global Drone Solutions offers a portfolio of 16 CASA-certified drone pilot training courses and certification packages, ranging from beginner-level recreational courses to advanced commercial operations training. The core offering consists of four bundled course packages (Standard, Advanced, Professional, Enterprise) that combine individual certifications including Remote Pilot Licence (RePL), Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate (AROC), Multi Rotor 25kg Endorsement (MR25e), Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) Training, and Remote Operator Certificate (ReOC) application support. Standalone individual courses and advanced specialist courses (BVLOS, Powered Lift, Photogrammetry) are also available. The company also retails a range of DJI consumer, FPV, enterprise, and agricultural drones with student discounts. Training is delivered online (virtual classroom via Zoom) and in-person at their Western Australia facility, with nationwide coverage across all Australian states and territories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Standard Package (RePL + AROC) Entry-level CASA-certified bundle for individuals starting a commercial drone career, combining the Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) and Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate (AROC). It qualifies graduates to operate drones up to 7kg and to communicate with air traffic control in controlled airspace; delivered online (AUD $1,695) or in-person (AUD $2,995).
• Advanced Package (RePL + AROC + MR25e) Mid-tier CASA-certified bundle that adds the Multi Rotor 7kg–25kg Endorsement (MR25e) to the RePL and AROC, qualifying graduates to operate drones between 7kg and 25kg for industries including agriculture, mining, and construction; delivered online (AUD $1,900) or in-person (AUD $3,200).
• Professional Package (RePL + AROC + CRP) Leadership-focused CASA-certified bundle for business owners and aspiring team leaders, combining RePL, AROC, and Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) Training with full ReOC application support; delivered online (AUD $3,900) or in-person (AUD $4,900).
• Enterprise Package (RePL + AROC + MR25e + CRP) Top-tier CASA-certified bundle for organizations managing large-scale drone operations under their own CASA-approved Remote Operator's Certificate, combining RePL, AROC, MR25e, CRP Training, and full ReOC application support; delivered online (AUD $4,300) or in-person (AUD $5,300).
• Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) Standalone CASA-certified Remote Pilot Licence course covering theory, practical flight training, and assessment, required for commercial drone operations in Australia; available online (AUD $1,349) or in-person (AUD $2,795).
• Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate (AROC) Standalone CASA-recognised qualification authorising legal radio communication with air traffic control and other aircraft for controlled airspace operations; priced at AUD $330.
• Remote Operators Certificate (ReOC) Standalone CASA business certification authorising organisations to legally conduct commercial drone operations under their own name, including managing pilot teams; priced at AUD $2,095.
• Certificate III in Aviation (Post RePL) Nationally recognised vocational qualification building on RePL, providing formal recognition of drone piloting skills for competitive job-market advantage; priced at AUD $1,000.
• Chief Remote Pilot (CRP) Training preparing individuals for the Chief Remote Pilot role, covering daily operations management under a ReOC, team oversight, and CASA compliance; priced at AUD $495.
• Multi Rotor 7kg–25kg Endorsement (MR25e) CASA-recognised endorsement extending an existing RePL to operate multi-rotor drones weighing 7–25kg for industries including agriculture, mining, and construction; priced at AUD $595.
• RePL Annual Refresher Annual refresher course for already-certified drone pilots to stay current with CASA regulations and best practices; priced at AUD $149.
• RePL Manned Aircraft Pilot Endorsement (RePL MAPE) Fast-track CASA-approved endorsement course for licensed manned-aircraft pilots (PPL or CPL holders) to obtain a Remote Pilot Licence, covering the differences between manned and unmanned operations; priced at AUD $895.
• Beginner Course Introductory drone flying course for beginners, building confidence and skills for safe, legal, and effective drone operation; priced at AUD $249.
• Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Advanced CASA-endorsed training for operating drones beyond visual line of sight, enabling larger, more complex, and higher-value commercial operations; priced at AUD $1,495.
• Powered Lift Endorsement (PLE) CASA-endorsed qualification permitting RePL holders to operate powered-lift VTOL drones up to 7kg (such as WingtraOne) that combine vertical takeoff with fixed-wing flight; priced at AUD $1,295.
• Powered Lift 7kg–25kg Endorsement (PLE) CASA endorsement enabling RePL holders to operate powered-lift VTOL drones between 7kg and 25kg for demanding commercial operations requiring extended range and lift capacity; priced at AUD $1,495.
• Remote Piloted Aircraft Photogrammetry Training in extracting 2D and 3D information from overlapping drone images using industry-leading software, covering mission planning, flight setup, and data processing; priced at AUD $3,000.
• DJI Consumer Drone Retail (Mini, Air, Mavic, Avata) Retail of consumer-grade DJI drones (Mini, Air, Mavic, Avata including FPV models) via the company's website, with an exclusive 5% student discount offered to graduates of GDS training; available as standalone purchases or as equipment bundles combined with training certifications.
• DJI Enterprise Drone Retail (Matrice, Mavic 3 Enterprise) Retail of professional and industrial DJI drone platforms including Mavic 3 Enterprise, Mavic 3 Multispectral, Mavic 3 Thermal, Matrice 350 RTK, and Matrice 400, with specialist sensor options for thermal, multispectral, and LiDAR applications; commonly sold alongside Enterprise Package training.
• DJI AGRAS Agricultural Drone Retail (T40, T50, T100) Retail of DJI AGRAS precision agricultural drone platforms (T40, T50, T100) for spraying, spreading, and crop monitoring at scale, with RTK centimetre-level positioning and AI-assisted route planning; sold as bundled offerings that include hardware plus training and certification.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,500+ graduates successfully certified and deployed in the drone industry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Applus+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership to launch the RPAS Ranking Program - a pilot competency assessment initiative developed collaboratively to establish industry standards for drone pilot proficiency ratings. The partnership was announced following a special partner event at Global Drone Solutions' Perth headquarters.
• DJIcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized DJI dealer offering drone equipment sales including consumer (Mini, Air, Mavic, Avata), enterprise (Mavic 3 Enterprise, Matrice series), and agricultural (AGRAS T40, T50, T100) platforms. Provides equipment bundles with training certification packages.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UAVAIR Drone Training: Australian CASA-approved drone training provider offering RePL, advanced endorsements, and photogrammetry courses directly competing with GDS for individual and enterprise students across Australia.
• Flight Training Adelaide: Vocational aviation training institution providing Certificate IV and Diploma-level aviation courses including UAS-relevant programs; competes with GDS for career-changer students pursuing aviation credentials.
• CG Helicopters Australia: Australian aviation training provider offering both manned helicopter pilot training and drone (RePL) courses; overlaps with GDS in entry-level flight training and the RePL MAPE fast-track training market.
• Drone Training Solutions: CASA-certified drone training provider offering RePL courses and sub-25kg endorsements across Australian states; competes with GDS in the same regulatory training market segment.
• Rise Above Custom & Training: Australian CASA-approved drone pilot training provider offering RePL, endorsements, and commercial drone operator courses — direct competitor for individual student enrollments and enterprise contracts.
• Aviassist: Australian drone and RPAS training specialist offering CASA-certified RePL courses and aviation safety consulting; competes head-to-head with Global Drone Solutions in the same CASA-approved training market.

Broad incumbents

• DroneShield: Australian-listed counter-UAS and drone detection specialist operating in defense and public safety — adjacent to GDS's public safety (WA Police, DFES) training customer segment and broader Australian drone industry.
• Wing (Alphabet): Alphabet-owned drone delivery operator actively operating in Australia (Canberra, Logan); represents a major commercial drone operator end-customer whose pilot certification pipeline could intersect with GDS training offerings.
• ParaZero: Israeli-listed drone safety technology company with Australian operations; serves the broader commercial drone ecosystem that GDS trains operators for, including defense and enterprise segments where certified pilots operate ParaZero-equipped drones.
• Insitu Pacific (Boeing): Boeing subsidiary providing UAS services and large enterprise drone solutions across Australia; large incumbent that employs certified pilots and represents a potential enterprise customer or competitor in the advanced UAS training space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GDroneSolutions
• Instagraminstagram.com/gdronesolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/globaldronesolutions

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Drone Solutions